CNET Editors' Rating

The BadAF area adjust switch works differently from D700. Can't adjust mic/audio level while recording.

The Bottom LineAn excellent addition to the Nikon SLR line, the D800 does not disappoint on any front. If you don't need the machine-gun speeds or hefty size of the D4, this camera provides a very satisfying photographic experience.

Review Sections

Design and features

Not content with announcing just one professional-grade SLR this year, Nikon has also released the D800, with a whopping 36.3-megapixel CMOS FX sensor (35.9 x 24mm).

This camera takes plenty of inspiration from the D4, with the same 3.2-inch LCD screen at 921,000 dots, auto-brightness sensor, similar video capabilities and the Expeed 3 processor. The D800 is more than just a D4-lite, though.

Aimed at studio, wedding and fashion photographers, the D800 has a similar shape to its predecessor, the D700, but with refined ergonomics. It's an easier camera to hold in the hand, thanks to its lighter weight. The positioning of buttons has also been tweaked slightly, with more curvature on certain dials so that they fall easily into reach, when needed. There's also a new Live View switch to change between video and stills at the rear of the camera, which is the most prominent addition to the rear panel. Like the version found on the D4, it feels very much like Live View was a central part of the engineering process for this camera, as it works intuitively and without any airs or grace.

The control dials are now more curved than ever before. (Credit: CBSi)

Astute readers will note that there are 51 AF points present on the D800 — the same as on the D700 — but Nikon has included a completely new sensor module. This ensures precise subject tracking, and also that the AF system is initiated faster. Nikon also claims that the D800's AF system has improved sensitivity in low light. Like the D4, there's face detection, which meters more accurately for people in the frame.

Speaking of AF, the mode selector dial has disappeared from the rear of the camera. To change between AF-S and AF-C mode, you need to press the AF/M button at the front, just underneath the lens release, and turn the rear dial. It's a little more effort than what is required on the D700, but it is easy enough once you're accustomed to the new positioning.

The dual-card slot (CompactFlash and SD) is, dare we say it, more useful than the CF/XQD configuration found on the D4. But, beware of your memory cards when using the D800 — given the 36-megapixel sensor, the file sizes can be unwieldy. On average expect 15MB JPEG files and 40MB RAW files.

The viewfinder's coverage is now 100 per cent of the field of view. It's really bright and very pleasing to use.

Additional shooting settings for photographers include: an in-camera HDR mode, though it only uses two exposures; a time-lapse controller, which also calculates how long the resulting movie will be when the interval is set; a virtual horizon, to level shots; and enhanced retouch menus. The native ISO range sits at 100 to 6400, expandable to 50 and 25,600 using the low and high settings, respectively. The shutter has been tested for 200,000 cycles. The battery, same as found on the D7000, is rated for 900 shots.

Video capabilities

The D800 has the ability to shoot in FX and DX formats at full 1080p (H.264), and has selectable frame rates of 30fps, 25fps or 24fps at full HD, or 60fps, 50fps, 30fps or 25fps at 720p. More exciting is the headphone jack that lets you monitor the sound recording in live-view mode, just like the D4, and an auto-flicker reduction that lets the D800 select either 50Hz or 60Hz, depending on the lighting conditions.

The video record button is located just behind the shutter button. (Credit: CBSi)

Uncompressed video can be recorded from HDMI output, but you'll need to make some space — Nikon's own tests showed that three seconds of footage takes up 1GB.

As well as the tweaks to the LCD mentioned above, the monitor elements are gapless, which means that it's less reflective and less prone to forming condensation. In our outdoor tests, the LCD was easy enough to see, but in full sunlight and glare it does become tricky, as with any LCD screen without a hood attached.

The second D800

Thought that was enough surprises? Nikon has released not one, but two models of the D800. The second model is designed "for ultimate resolution", for landscape and artistic photographers in particular. This camera (the D800E) is identical to the regular D800, except that it disables the low-pass/antialiasing filter, which is found on most cameras to help reduce moire. Removing the filter means that the resulting image has a greater gradation of colours — but it is more susceptible to moire. Medium-format photographers, this second camera is definitely designed for you.

Performance

General shooting metrics (in seconds)

Start-up to first shot

JPEG shot-to-shot time

RAW shot-to-shot time

Shutter lag

0.080.20.150.01

Nikon D4

0.10.30.30.04

Nikon D800

0.20.40.30.1

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

0.30.40.40.3

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

(Shorter bars indicate better performance)

Continuous shooting speed (in FPS)

10

Nikon D4

6

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

4

Nikon D800

3.8

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

(Longer bars indicate better performance)

The D800 isn't blisteringly fast like the D4, but with a 36.3-megapixel sensor, you're not buying this camera for machine-gun speeds. It can shoot 4fps in FX mode, 5fps at 1.2x crop mode (25.1 megapixels) and 6fps in DX mode (using the battery pack only). New connectivity options include USB 3.0 for fast transfer speeds — something that would have been valuable on the D4, but must have been omitted in order to get it to market quickly.

Autofocus is swift, accurate and effective, even in low light. Nikon rates the battery for this camera for 900 shots as well.